BLACKBIRD 51 



Booth in his " Rough Notes " relates an interesting 

 account of two Blackbirds constructing no less than five 

 nests in the season, in a thick bush of cypress. He says : 

 " In a garden near Brighton I noticed, in 1880, two Black- 

 birds (they could scarcely be termed a pair) construct no 

 less than five nests during the season. In every instance 

 the nests were placed in a thick bush of Cupressus macro- 

 catpa. The first brood when about a week old, early 

 in March, were dragged out and killed by a cat. On 

 Saturday, May ist, the second brood died in the nest 

 through exposure to the cold east winds, and on the fol- 

 lowing Monday the third nest was commenced. On the 

 1 2th the old male was unfortunately caught in a cat-trap 

 (set for their especial preservation), and so badly nipped 

 that death must have been instantaneous. The female, 

 however, was not inconsolable, and within a day or two, 

 without the slightest intermission to her family arrange- 

 ments, a new mate was found. All went smoothly for the 

 future, and three broods were now successfully reared." 



